1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat exchange units. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and a method for mounting a coupling to a planar support wherein the coupling and the mounting flange therefor may be positioned relative to a tube subassembly without regard to their relative rotational orientation.
2. Prior Art
Many heat exchange units include a heat exchanger located within a housing. Refrigerant is supplied to the heat exchanger to effect the transfer of heat energy between refrigerant and air flowing over the heat exchanger. In a conventional residential air conditioning system, liquid line and suction line headers extend from the heat exchanger outwardly through the housing of the heat exchange unit and are joined to a coupling such that refrigerant lines connecting the heat exchanger to the remainder of the refrigeration circuit may be affixed to the heat exchanger by connecting the lines to the coupling located exterior of the housing.
During assembly of these heat exchange units it has been necessary to provide a subassembly which includes various sections of tubing, headers, couplings, valves and other components designed to extend from the spigot or bell joints on the heat exchanger through an opening in the housing. This single assembly would then act to conduct refrigerant from the heat exchanger to the coupling extending outside the housing adapted to connect to interconnecting refrigerant tubing.
The coupling typically includes a body portion having threads extending from one end and a bell portion extending from the other end to which the tube may be soldered. Intermediate the threads and the bell end a head portion having a series of faces arranged in a spaced pattern about the coupling is provided such that a wrench may be placed to engage these faces to secure the coupling from the final displacement. To prevent the coupling from rotating after assembly a mounting flange is secured to a support through which the coupling extends. The mounting flange likewise defines a series of faces which may coact with the coupling faces much in the manner of a wrench for securing the coupling in position. The flange additionally defines a series of openings to which a fastener may be mounted. Typically the fastener would extend through an opening in the support to engage the opening in the flange. In this type of arrangement it is necessary to fixture the entire subassembly prior to soldering the tubing to the coupling such that alignment of the fastening openings of the flange with the fastening openings in the support would result in the tube assembly extending in the proper rotational orientation from the support. This additional fixturing step required additional time and effort to effect assembly of the coil unit.
The herein disclosed apparatus and method involves soldering or joining tubing to a coupling without regard to the orientation therebetween. Hence, no fixturing is necessary. Arcuate slots are spaced about the opening in the support such that fastening means such as screws are inserted through the arcuate slots to engage the fastening openings in a flange. By rotation of the entire subassembly the screws rotate within the arcuate slots until the subassembly is in a desired position. The screws are then tightened securing the entire subassembly including the coupling and mounting flange to the support at the desired rotational angle. Hence, the subassembly is secured to the support at the desired rotational position without the necessity of the coupling being fixtured relative to the tube such that the mounting flange securing the coupling was in alignment with the support openings in the support.